Combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve



Feb. 9, 1960 F. w. HOTTENROTH 2,924,207

COMBINATION METERING CHAMBER AND FUEL DISTRIBUTING VALVE Filed March $1, 1958 IN V EN TOR COMBINATION METERING CHAMBER AND FUEL DISTRIBUTING VALVE Frederick W. Hottenroth, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application March 31, 1958, Serial No. 725,384

7 Claims. Cl. 123-439 I This invention relates to a combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve for use in connection with a modulus metered fuel injection system as shown in the modulus of elasticity of the fuel 'inself is the measurof the fuel being used so that the change in volumev of such fuel as between the maximum pressure thereof furnished by the fuel pump and the minimum pressure thereof resulting from opening a fuel admission valve from the reservoir to the engine cylinder permits the expansion of the fuel to cause injection of a metered portion thereof into the engine cylinder.

One object of the present invention is to provide a combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve in which the movable valve member may have a metering chamber for each cylinder or a single chamber for all cylinders of the engine, and the rotation of the valve causes it to act as a fuel distributor providing the necessary cut-off of fuel under pressure from the fuel pump and opening of the chamber to the engine cylinder for 7 expansion of the fuel trapped in the chamber and injection of the metered portion thereof into the cylinder.

Another object is to provide a'rotary valve of the sleeve or disc type having a chamber which'communicates first with a supply of fuel under pressure that compresses the charge of fuel in the chamber and then successively with the cylindersof the engine, the expansion of the fuel when communicating with the cylinders causing the injection of a quantity of fuel into eachcylinder which quantity is proportional to the difference between the pump pressure andthe pressure of the fuel when relieved to the cylinder, and in which therefore the charge of fuel can be increased by increasing the pressure of the fuel supplied to the chamber, which pressure is under control of a number of different conditions as set forth in my copending application. v

A further object is to provide a modified form of my invention in which the valve has a metering chamber for each cylinder of the engine and utilizes the same general principle of operation as the type having one chamher for all cylinders.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinaher and fuel distributing valve embodying my invention,

2,924,207 Patented F eb.9, 1960 2 tion, and the valve being shown connected diagrammatically to the cylinders of a '4-cylinder engine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the valve partly on the line 2,0-2 and partly on the line Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view through a modified form of my valve, this form being a sleeve type as distinguished from the disc type shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a valve body 10 is shown which is generally cup-shaped and has a shaft 17 rotatable in a central boss at 'the bottom of the cup. The shaft 17 is rotated at one-half the engine speed, the same as the electrical distributor of a 4-cycle internal combustion engine. Within the body 10 a valve rotor 16 is provided and it likewise is cup-shaped, being rigidly secured to the shaft 17 for rotation thereby. A disc 26 is rotatable with the valve rotor 16, being keyed thereto as by a squared projection 34 entering a square socket 32 of the rotor 16. The rotor 16 and the disc form a sealed chamber 18 that serves as a metering chamber as will hereinafter appear, the seal being effected by an O-ring 28. The parts of the valve may be formed of metal, 26 and 36 being dissimilar, or 26 may be formed of graphite. The disc .26 and the cover plate 36 have two lapped surfaces engaging each other under the pressure of a spring 30 and also the fuel pressure so as to form an effective seal between the disc ports and the cover plate ports.

A cover plate 36 is provided for the valve body 10 and its inner face is contacted by the outer face of the disc 26 under the constraint of a spring 30 whereby these two faces together with an outlet port opening 20 and four inlet port openings 22 in the disc 26, and ports that lead from conduits 11, 12, 13, 14 and 24, serve as valve ports during the rotation of the rotor 16 and the disc 26 relative to the cover plate 36. The direction of rotation is indicated by an arrow a as clockwise in Fig. 1.

The conduit 24 supplies fuel under pressure from a suitable fuel pump P to the chamber 18, and the con- 1 and 2 and given the same reference numerals (except in the series). In this form of invention the valve body is an elongated sleeve and the rotor'116 is shaft-like in character, having four of the chambers 118 instead of one chamber 18 as in Fig. 2 and likewise four outlet ports 120 instead of a single one 20. There is also a single inlet port 122 communicating with the fuel line 124 instead of four inlet ports as M22 in Figs. 1 and 2. The direction of rotation is indicated counterclockwise (arrow b in Fig. 3 so that the conduits 111,

113, 112 and 114 distribute to the cylinders C C C and C the same distribution order as in Fig. 1).

Practical operation with 24 the chamber 18 is charged with additional fuel 7 because the fuel is somewhat compressible (gasoline parts being broken away and other parts shown in sec- 0.7% of its original "volume at 1000 psi.) and theater,

tional fuelthat enters the chamber is a function of the pressure of the fuel. This same additional fuel is the quantity that is subsequently injected into the engine when the port 20 of the chamber 18 registers with one of the conduits leading-to anengine cylinder as fully explained in my copending application. Thusthe chamber 18 acts as a fuel metering chamber (its 'size'being calculated in proportion to the fuel pressureand the quantity of fuel required in the engine cylinder) and the structure also acts as a fuel distributor. i J

-In the operation of the form of invention shown in Figs; .3 and4 the chamber 118 for the conduit 112 is being charged with fuel from the fuel line 124 and the fuel in the chamber 118 .for the conduit;111 is expanding for injecting its metered charge of, fuel into'the' cylinder C The chambers 118 for the conduits 114,111

and 113 are then successively brought into registry with the port 124 for charging them and they discharge following that to the conduit 111 in the order 113, 112,

1'14 and repeat;

In this form of my invention each chamber 118 has a volume calculated in respect to the fuel pressure and fuelvolume requirement the same as the single chamber 118 of Figs. land 2. z

vFrom the foregoing specification it will be obvious that the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a singlemetering' chamber used to supply a multiplicity of cylinders while the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 has a metering chamber for each cylinder. In both cases the valve rotor is rotated at one-half the speed of the engine shaft'in a 4-cycle engine and pressure is first built up i from the fuel line 24 or 124m the chamber or chambers and then distributed to the cylinders'in the proper order for subsequent firing. While the chamber is open to the cylinder the fuel expands, thus effecting the injection of the metered portion thereof into the cylinder and the discharge to the cylinder is proportional to the pressure that is trapped in the metering'chamber between the closure thereof to the'fuel line and the opening thereof to the cylinder, the cycle repeating in proper sequence as the valve rotates. t I

Some changes may be-m'ade in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my disclosed valves without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my inventions It is, therefore, my intention to cover by my claims such modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents as may reasonably be included within their scope. 7 lclaim: Y

1. In a combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve, a valve body, a ported valve rotor therein and adapted to be rotated in accordance with the cycles of operation of an internal combustion engine, said rotor having fixed volume metering chamber means therein and a fuelinlet thereto, means for supplying fuel under pressure to said valve body, outlet conduits leading from said valvebody to freely supply fuelto the cylinders of the engine, the ports of said valve rotor upon rotation of said rotor successivelyconnec'ting said metering chamber means with said fuel inlet andthereoy said fuel supply means to compress fuelin said metering chamber means while the outlet is closed and thereafter with an outlet conduit while the fuel inlet isclos'ed to permit expansion of. the-fuel in the 'ro'tor to act :as the sole means to effect injection of a portion of the fuel metered by said fixed volume metering chamber into a cylinder.

2. In a combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve, a valve body, a ported valve rotor therein andiadapted to be rotated in'accordance with the cycles of operation of an internal combustion engine, said rotor having fixed volume metering chamber means therein, means for supplying fuel under pressure to said valve body, outlet conduits leadingfrom said valve body to freely supply fuel to the cylinders of the engine, said :valve rotor having first, port means to Communicate 2,924,207 p p a I to compress fuel in said metering chamber means while 1 the outlet conduits are closed and to thereafter permit expansion of the fuel in said rotor when an outlet is open for acting as the sole means for effecting injection of portions of the fuel metered by said fixed volume metering chamber successively into the engine cylinders in the,

firing order thereof.

3. Ina combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve, a valve body, a ported valve rotor therein and adapted to be rotated in accordance with the cycles of operation of an internal combustion engine, said rotor having a fixed volume metering chamber therein for metering the. fuel to each cylinder of the engine, means for supplying fuel under pressure to said valve body, o'pen :conduits leading from said valve "body to the cylinders of the engine, the ports ofsaidlvalve rotor upon rotation thereof. successively connectingsaid chamber with said fuel supply means toncompress fuel therein and alter-.

nately connecting said chamber with said. conduits to.

permit expansion of the fuel in the chamherfor efiecting successiveinjeetion of portions. of the fuel into the cylinders of the engine. 1 1 J i i 4. A combination metering chamber and fuel distributing valve comprising'a valve: body, a ported valve rotor therein and adapted to befrotated in accordance with the cycles f of operation of an internalucombustion engine, said rotor having'afixe'd volume metering chamber therein, means for supplying :fuel under pressure to said valve body,.conduits leading from, said valve body. to freely supply fuel to the cylinders of:.the engine-the ports of said valve rotor upon rotation of said rotor successively connecting said chamber with saidfuel supply means to compress successive charges of fuel in the chamber and alternately with a conduit to permit expansion of the fuel in the chamber to effect injection of a portion thereof into'the cylinder to which said last conduit leads.

5. In a combination metering chamber and fuel dis-.

tributing valve, a valve' body', aported valve rotor therein and adapted :to' be rotated in accordance with the cycles of operation of an internal combustion engine, said rotor having a single fixed volume metering chamber therein, means for supplyingfuel under pressure to saidvalvc body, conduits' leading from said valve body to the cylinders of the engine,-said valve rotor having one port to communicate successively with said conduits, and a plur- *ality of ports, one for each conduit 'to communicate suc- 'cessivel'y withsaid fuel supply means, the communication of said one port with said conduits and the communication of said plurality of ports with-said fuel supply means occurring alternately-to firstcompress fuel in the chamber for each cylinder and to then pe'rmit expansion of the fuel in the chamber for effectinginjection of a portion thereof into the Cylinders successively in the firing order thereof. r w 1 w 6. In a combination metering chanibe r and fuel distributing valve, a valve b dy-, a:portedva1ve rotor therein and adapted'tobe rotated'in accordance with the cycles of operation of an internal combustion engine, said rotor having a fixed volume-metering chamber therein for each cylinder of theengiue, means for supplying fuel under pressure to saidvalve body, conduits leading from said valve body to sup ly fuel to the cylinders of the engine,

the ports of said valve rotor upon rotation 'of said rotor successively connecting saidchambers with said fuel supply means to compress fuelin the chambers and with their "respective conduits to permit expansion of the fuel in the chambers to effect injection of portions thereof into 'theengine cylinders j 7. 'In a combination metering chamber and fuel dist ibuting valveavaivebody, a ported valve rotor therem having a fixed volume metering chamber therein for each i cylinder, means for supplying fuel under pressure'to said valve body, conduits leading from said valve body to supply fuel to the cylinders of the engine, said valve rotor having one port for each of said chambers which communicates successively with said conduits and with'said fuel supply means, the communication of said ports with said conduits and with said fuel supply means occurring 10 alternately to compress fuel'in the chambers for said cylindersv and to thereafter permit expansion of the'fuel in the chambers for effecting injections of portions thereof into the cylinders successively in the firing order thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Clark Nov. 9, 1948 

